Little known in the US, Spidi is a major motorcycle safety innovator in Europe, releasing the first wearable airbag for bikers way back in 1999. Now seen as the next big step in safety gear for racers, Alpinestars and Dainese are actively developing sophisticated systems capable of using gyroscopes to detect big crashes, then deploying airbags to prevent neck injuries. Spidi just beat both its major competitors to market, albeit with a much less high-tech solution.>

Like the original DPS 01, Spidi's new airbag is worn over traditionaljackets or leathers and is activated by a lanyard attached to thehandlebars. Crash, separate from bike, pull cord, inflate airbag,bounce down road on a cushion of air. In the last 10 years, the DPS baghas gotten slimmer, lighter and more efficient, now inflating with twoCO2 cartridges for faster response. It's also now compatible with raceleathers.

The problem is it has the same problems the system's always had; namelyhigh risk of accidental inflation, the inability to self-inflate if therider doesn't separate from the motorcycle in a crash and unpredictableresults upon inflation. Because Spidi relies on a lanyard to set offinflation, it's easy for riders to forget to disconnect whendismounting while life-threatening impacts could go unmitigated if therider remains in a lanyard's reach of the bike. The violent inflationof the bag could also exacerbate injuries if it goes off at the wrongtime or even after the accident is all done with.

It's those issues in which Alpinestars and Dainese are investingmillions of Euros researching, developing detailed sets of data aboutwhat happens in a variety of crashes both on- and off-track and therebydeveloping airbags that will inflate predictably in the rightcircumstances. Until we've seen racers crash in those 'bags, we'll besticking with our tried-and-tested quality leathers, expensive helmetsand hefty back protectors.